Tuesday, 1 April 2014

PIA News Dispatch - Sunday, March 16, 2014

President Aquino decides not to allow Cudia to
graduate pending an investigation

BAGUIO CITY: President Benigno S. Aquino III met
with Philippine Military Academy cadet Jeff Aldrin Cudia and his family
Saturday and decided not to allow him to graduate on Sunday pending a new
investigation.

In a statement Saturday, Defense Secretary Voltaire
Gazmin said he and the President met Cudia and his family and heard their
appeals and requests.

"They had appeals, requests and also raised
some issues. We made sure that they were given the opportunity to air their
side. At the end of which, we recommended that they formalize their appeal,
requests and other concerns in writing," Gazmin said in the statement.

"It was agreed that Cdt 1Cl Cudia will not
graduate tomorrow, without prejudice to whatever will be the result of their
new appeal, which is now elevated to the CSAFP whom the President directed to
investigate."

This week, the Palace said it was studying the
appeal of Cudia who will not graduate for allegedly violating the PMA's Honor
Code.

In a statement, Presidential Communications
Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the PMA Honor Code is
essential in the character formation of future leaders and members of the Armed
forces.

"The basic objective of the PMA honor code
is to prepare and fortify the mindset and the value set of the prospective
Armed Forces officer as these will eventually be put to a severe test in the
battlefield and arenas of conflict, where the officer will be deployed upon
commissioning," he said.

The PMA had dismissed Cudia who is now on
indefinite leave. Cudia, the batch salutatorian, will be separated from service
after having allegedly violated the academy's Honor Code, the PMA said. It
added that Cudia couldn't acquire his degree and other distinctions.

Cudia was accused of having lied about his reason
for tardiness in class. After Cudia appealed his case, AFP Chief of Staff Gen.
Emmanuel Bautista ordered a reinvestigation of the incident. PND (as)

President Aquino leads 109th PMA Commencement
Exercises

BAGUIO CITY) President Benigno S. Aquino III led
the graduation rites Sunday of the Philippine Military Academy Siklab Diwa
Class of 2014 encouraging the cadets to observe the academy's Honor Code even
outside the learning institution when they start their respective assignments.

In his message here in Fort del Pilar, the
President said he is confident that the PMA's Siklab Diwa Class will live up to
the principles of adhering to their oath when they start to serve the people.

As the cadets shunned cheating in class while
inside the PMA, the President said he expects them to avoid corruption such as
when procuring military weaponry. If a cheater is being punished in class in
the PMA, he asked the graduating cadets to help the government go after those
who abuse the trust of the people.

After spending four years inside the academy,
the cadets will start to experience the harsh conditions outside when they step
out of Fort del Pilar, the President said. There are challenges that lie ahead,
the chief executive noted, adding that he hopes the cadets will apply the
principles they learned in the academy not to give in to temptations in the
real world.

President Aquino renews commitment for defense
modernization, livelihood for soldiers

BAGUIO CITY: President Benigno S. Aquino III
assured the members of the armed forces of government support so that they
could have the tools and skills to perform their duties more effectively.

The President said in his message during the
commencement exercises of the Philippine Military Academy here on Sunday that
the government knows the needs of the soldiers and it is doing everything to
improve their conditions.

Among the major thrusts of his administration is
to give the members of the Armed forces the weapons and tools they need to be
more effective.

For instance, he said that the bidding for the
purchase of two new twin-engine naval anti-submarine helicopters has started.

The military is also replacing Vietnam War-era
rifles with the acquisition of 63,000 assault rifles for the soldiers in the
next few months, he said.

The government is also ready to buy 12 lead-in
fighter trainer aircraft from South Korea that will be used for the country's
territorial defense operations.

Prior to this, the military has bought modern
ships for sea patrols, eight Sokol combat utility helicopters, three Navy
helicopters, and other new military vehicles, he added. He also said that the
government targets to buy eight additional combat utility helicopters that will
be used for search and rescue and disaster-relief missions before he steps down
from the presidency.

Under the government's livelihood program, areas
in three military camps – Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, Camp Kibaritan in
Bukidnon, and Camp Peralta in Capiz will become plantations for bamboo, coffee,
cacao and palm oil.

The President is in Baguio City Sunday to lead
the 109th graduation rites of PMA's Siklab Diwa Class of 2014. PND (as)

RA 10635 a significant law for the Philippine
maritime industry -- Palace

The recent signing of Republic Act 10635 by
President Benigno S. Aquino III is a significant development for the Philippine
maritime industry, which contributes over P225-billion to the country’s economy
annually, Malacañang said on Sunday.

RA 10635 designated the Maritime Industry
Authority (MARINA) as the country’s lone agency responsible for oversight in
the implementation of the 1978 International Convention on Standards of
Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), as amended, and
other international agreements or covenants related thereto.

According to Presidential Communications
Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr., who previously served at the
Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), this law would finally
address the concerns of international maritime organizations, particularly
those based in Europe that employ thousands of seafarers from the Philippines.

Coloma said we come from a situation where over
30 outfits are involved in the deployment of Filipino seafarers that the
European community finds bothersome as it was not clear which agency holds the
primary responsibility over them.

Coloma said the Philippines holds a market share
of not lower than 25 percent in the international merchant vessel industry, and
contributes an annual share of over $5-billion or roughly P225-billion to our
economy.

Signed by the President on March 13, RA 10635
gave MARINA the authority to “assume all powers and functions of the
Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), the Commission on Higher Education
(CHED), the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the Department
of Health (DOH) and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) relative
to the issuance, validation, verification, correction, revocation or
cancellation of certificates of competency, endorsement, proficiency and
documentary evidence required of all seafarers and all such other matters
pertaining to the implementation of the oversight in the implementation of the
1978 International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and
Watchkeeping for Seafarers.” PND (hdc)

Malacañang emphasized on Sunday that the
Philippines' granting of access to United States' military shall respect the
former’s sovereignty amid issues raised by different quarters on the possible
near-conclusion of the enhanced defense cooperation between the two countries.

Citing the statements already made by
representatives of the Philippine negotiating panel at the end of the sixth
round of talks held last week in Washington, D.C., Presidential Communications
Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. assured that such will be the
case once the agreement is finalized.

“The proposed agreement will allow the sharing
of defined areas within certain AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines)
facilities with elements of the US military on a rotational basis within
parameters consistent with the Philippine Constitution and laws.

This fresh round (of talks) has clearly shown
the shared commitment of both parties to enhance cooperation in defense,
security and related fields, including humanitarian assistance and disaster
response.

At the instance of the Philippine panel, the
United States panel agreed to the inclusion of provisions on environment and
safety, and opportunities for potential Philippine suppliers of goods, products
and services,” Coloma told Radyo ng Bayan.

Coloma said the aspects of humanitarian
assistance and disaster response in this agreement are significant given the
country’s experiences following the onslaught of super typhoon
"Yolanda" (Haiyan) last year.

Quoting Defense Undersecretary Pio Batino, who
heads the Philippines’ negotiating panel, Coloma said the agreement remains
“guided by the principles of full respect for Philippine sovereignty,
non-permanence of US troops, and no US basing in the Philippines, mutuality of
benefits and respect for the Philippine Constitution, including the prohibition
against nuclear weapons.”

One month before the expected visit of US
President Barack Obama to the country, this latest development on the PH-US
military cooperation deal was met with criticisms, especially from Senator
Miriam Defensor-Santiago who chairs the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

Santiago, according to reports, said the deal
has to be approved by the Senate first because “it cannot be classified as an
executive agreement but as a treaty to which the Philippine Senate must give
its concurrence.”

Coloma, meanwhile, said that while he respects
the opinion of the senator, it is appropriate that she and other critics of the
agreement wait for the completion of the deal first to have a better grasp of
all the issues at hand.

President Benigno S. Aquino III hosted a
merienda cena for the fresh graduates of Philippine Military Academy Siklab
Diwa Class of 2014 following the commencement exercises at Fort Gregorio H. Del
Pilar in Baguio City on Sunday.

The lunch was held at The Mansion, the
President's official residence in Baguio City, around 2 p.m.

The new graduates of Class Siklab Diwa were
joined by their parents and relatives.

Also present were Defense Secretary Voltaire
Gazmin, Armed Forces Chief Emmanuel Bautista, Army Chief Hernando Iriberri and
other military officials.

The merienda cena is a traditional event hosted
by the President for new graduates of the PMA.

It is an event where the President gets to
interact and share some thoughts with the newly-commissioned officers. PND (jb)